A gate is old.
There are various forms of gates. One form of a gate comprises a vertical gate-post, a gate and two hinges interconnecting the vertical gate-post and the gate. The gate swings horizontally around the vertical gate-post. Sometimes, there are two vertical gate-posts and two gates which swing horizontally around the two vertical gate-posts and inwardly.
On a farm or a ranch the gates may take a more simple form such as a vertical stile of wood and wire. There are two spaced apart vertical posts. Barbed wire or woven wire is attached to one of the posts and the other end of the barbed wire or woven wire is attached to the vertical stile. There are loops on the other vertical post and the vertical stile can be positioned in the loops to form a rather loose crude gate for blocking livestock. The loop on the other vertical post can be of wire such as barbed wire or baling wire. In using this type of gate the upper loop can be moved away from the vertical post and the vertical stile moved out of the lower loop and towards the other vertical post. This opens the gateway for livestock and the like to move.
There are some gate assemblies which have a horizontal axis. A gate rotates vertically around the horizontal axis. Generally, there will be a counterweight to assist in the vertical rotation of the gate around the horizontal axis.
In certain instances there is a vertical gate-post. A heavy metal tube is hinged to the vertical gate-post and rotates horizontally around the vertical gate-post. Some of these gates are used in restricted areas such as on logging roads, construction projects and the like.
The above described gates serve the purpose of blocking a passageway and also allowing the passageway to be opened for traffic to move. A person in an automotive vehicle and wanting to pass through the gate which is closed must stop the automotive vehicle. Then the person gets out of the vehicle and goes to the gate and opens the gate. Then the person can drive the vehicle through the passageway and stops the vehicle again, gets out of the vehicle and closes the gate. Then the person can get in the vehicle and drive away. This means that the individual must get out of the automotive vehicle twice and also must get into the automotive vehicle twice. It is seen that this is time consuming. If the individual be in a hurry the getting out of the automotive vehicle and getting into the automotive vehicle and repeating this procedure is time consuming. With some individuals having a physical impairment it is difficult to get out of the automotive vehicle and also to get into the automotive vehicle. In fact, this is a hardship and frustrating to such an individual. In addition, it is an annoyance to such an individual. Further, it is an inconvenience to get out of the automotive vehicle twice and to get into the automotive vehicle twice in inclement weather such as rain, where there is mud or snow, and where there is possibly ice or packed snow. The possibility of slipping on the packed snow and ice or on mud is a distinct possibility and the individual in getting out of the automotive vehicle and walking towards the gate may fall and hurt oneself. Also, in falling the individual may get the clothes dirty. Further, in certain instances a person getting out of an automotive vehicle leaves the sanctuary of the automotive vehicle and there may be another individual nearby who may take the opportunity to mug the driver of the automotive vehicle and physically harm the driver of the automotive vehicle when the driver is out of the vehicle. In addition, in certain instances, the gate may be heavy and hard to move. For example, with a small individual or an older person there may be difficulty in opening and closing the gate. Some gates are so heavy and difficult to move that it is a distinct inconvenience for a small or weak individual to move such a gate.
Some gates are powered by a power means which is remote. These gates can be opened and closed remotely. For example, there are many garage doors which can be remotely opened and remotely closed by the driver of an automotive vehicle. It is not necessary for the driver of the automotive vehicle to get out of the automotive vehicle to open the garage door or to close the garage door.
Prior to preparing this patent application a patent search was made. Five patents were found in this patent search. These are:
______________________________________ PATENTEE NO. ISSUING DATE ______________________________________ Robert J. Ries 3,839,826 October 8, 1974 James Tieben 4,231,190 November 4, 1980 Thomas M. Courtis 4,270,312 June 2, 1981 Moscow K. Richmond 4,403,449 September 3, 1983 Rudolf Wanzl 4,472,908 September 25, 1984 ______________________________________
The patent to Ries is for a gate 14 which rotates vertically. There is a gate-post 4. There is a horizontal axis 16. The gate 14 rotates vertically around the horizontal axis 16. There is a horizontal output shaft 24 of a gear and motor combination 26 for rotating the gate 14. Also, there is a radio receiver 66 for controlling the motor and gear combination 26 for controlling the rotation of the gate 14.
The patent to Tieben illustrates a vertical gate-post 10. There is a gate 14. Hinges 16 and 18 interconnect the vertical gate-post 10 and the gate 14. There is an electric motor 64. This electric motor 64 may be a 12 volt electric motor. The electric motor has an output shaft and on the end of the output shaft there is a drive sprocket 62. There are idler sprockets 48 and 50. There is a chain 76 which runs around the sprocket 62, 48 and 50. The motor 64 is a reversible motor. The gate 14 rotates horizontally around the vertical gate-post 10. There is a radio controlled relay 68 which makes it possible for the gate to rotate in one direction to open the passageway and for the gate to rotate in the opposite direction for closing the passageway.
Courtis et al teaches of a gate 12. There is a support means 11. There is a lower horizontal pivot means 18. There is a gate activating means 14. There is a sprocket 34 on the upper part of the gate. There is a chain 33 interconnecting the sprocket 34 and the gate activating means 14. There can be a radio transmitter for controlling the gate activating means 14. With activation the gate activating means 14 can move the chain 33 so that the gate 12 rotates vertically around the axis 18 so as to open the passageway and likewise with activation the motor 14 can cause the chain to move to lower the gate 12 to close the passageway.
The patent to Richmond shows a gate 10 and a vertical gatepost 12. There is appropriate structure for the gate 10 to be attached to the vertical gate-post 12. There are two lever arms 40 and 42 with a pivot 44 between the lever arms and interconnecting the two lever arms. There is a drive arm 38 connecting with the lever arm 40. There is a worm gear 70 which rotates so as to move the arms 38 and 42. With the movement of these arms the gate can rotate horizontally around the vertical gate-post 12 so as to move and to open the passageway and, likewise, can rotate so as to move and close the passageway.
The patent to Wanzl discloses a vertical gate-post 10 having a cylindrical base part 12. There is a cylindrical metal portion 14 which carries a C-shaped gate 5. There is a reversible squirrel cage motor 16 which has a rotary output shaft 17 connecting to the cylindrical middle portion 13. There is an electric eye sensor arrangement 6. With the activation of the electrical eye sensor arrangement the reversable motor 16 is activated to rotate the middle portion 13 to open the passageway and, likewise, to rotate to close the passageway.